Cang Mountain in Yu County

Cang Mountain, formerly known as Yu Mountain, nestles amid rolling mountains 18 kilometres north of Yu County seat in Cangshan Village, Changchi Town, on the western foot of the Taihang Mountains. Endowed with magnificent natural scenery, it is a place of remarkable beauty nurtured by nature.

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Shuo, a senior minister of the State of Jin, was executed by the Duke of Jin. Before his death, he entrusted his unborn orphan to his retainer Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying sacrificed his own infant, took Zhao Shuo’s son Zhao Wu, and went into hiding in Yu Mountain for fifteen years. Later generations renamed Yu Mountain as Cang Mountain (the Mountain of Hiding) and built shrines in memory of this event.

Cang Mountain boasts thousands of overlapping peaks and mist-shrouded valleys, with steep sheer cliffs and secluded grottoes. Towering pines and cypresses stand tall, while mountain streams gurgle along. The landscape remains enchanting all year round. The ancient temples feature exquisite layouts with well-proportioned spaces. All the towers, terraces, halls and pavilions cling closely to the cliffs, blending perfectly with natural scenery. Visitors feel as if wandering in an ink painting or a fairyland, hence it enjoys the reputation as the No.1 Mountain in Eastern Shanxi.

Cang Mountain Temple is a grand architectural complex consisting of Wenzi Shrine, the Sleeping Palace, the Orphan-Hiding Cave, the Dressing Tower, the Shrine of Eight Righteous Men, the Gratitude Shrine and the Loyalty Initiation Shrine. Its main building, Wenzi Shrine, is listed as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit. Ten fantastic scenic spots scatter across the mountain. At the mountain gate stand the Dragon and Phoenix Pines. The dragon pine twists and coils as if ready to soar into the sky; the phoenix pine stands gracefully, about to take flight. The vivid shapes never fail to amaze every tourist who pauses to admire them.

The Horse-Drinking Pool on the mountain is said to be where Cheng Ying and Zhao Wu watered their horses during their years in exile. Clear spring water still keeps flowing here. Two steep peaks stand facing each other with vertical rock faces, known as the Twin Barriers. The southern barrier rises straight up, named the Tablet Peak, for it looks just like an official’s jade tablet from afar. A rugged mountain path on its eastern slope leads up to the Southern Heavenly Gate.

The northern barrier forms a natural stone screen with deep caves underneath. Halls are built against the cliff, and the Main Hall enshrines Zhao Wu. To its east is the Gratitude Shrine, dedicated to Cheng Ying, Han Jue and Gongsun Chujiu. Halfway up the western hillside lies the Orphan-Hiding Cave, a natural grotto secluded from wind and rain. A stone stele in front records the story of sheltering the orphan.

Next to the Gratitude Shrine stands the Dressing Tower chiselled out of the cliff. Standing on the top, you look down into a seemingly bottomless abyss. Further east at the foot of the mountain is the Dripping Cliff. Inside the deep cave, water accumulates into an emerald-green pool called Dragon Pool, or Black Dragon Pool. In midsummer, water cascades down from the pool like a rainbow curtain; the spring water tastes refreshingly sweet when scooped up to drink.

The Monk’s Courtyard sits west of the tower, surrounded by red rock cliffs. Quiet and secluded, it feels as serene as the Moon Palace. Halfway up the eastern cliff lies the Sunset Glow. When the sun dips westward, golden rays cast across the rock face, creating a magical and spectacular scene.

The Flying Cliff Tower perches halfway up the jagged precipice. This two-storey wooden building is elegant and luxurious. Standing on the tower, you gaze upon green peaks veiled in mist and listen to birdsong echoing through the valleys, feeling light-hearted as if becoming an immortal.

Since ancient times, numerous literati, poets and noble figures have travelled hundreds of miles to pay homage and sightsee here. Historical celebrities including Yuan Haowen, Fu Shan, Gu Yanwu and Wang Mei once visited and composed poems about the mountain. Today’s statesmen and scholars also come and linger reluctantly. With the rapid growth of tourists in recent years, Cang Mountain has enjoyed rising popularity. In 1996, the county government funded the construction of the Spring and Autumn City. It depicts the 500-year history from 770 BC, when King Ping of the Eastern Zhou moved the capital to Luoyang, to 256 BC, when Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms. It vividly recreates an era of contending kingdoms and the flourishing of various schools of thought.

Making full use of the natural landscape around South Cave, Spring and Autumn City has dozens of halls, pavilions, towers and terraces built along the hillside. The whole layout follows the ancient Chinese Eight Trigrams, with the Altar of Hundred Schools at the centre. Buildings such as the Hall of Contending Warlords and the Ministers’ Mansions radiate outwards in eight directions. Though the layout looks scattered, it follows a coherent theme. Tourists can learn about the full history of the Spring and Autumn Period, as well as the stories of historical figures, academic schools and major events. Integrating knowledge, education and academic research, the complex features novelty and uniqueness. The magnificent buildings have become a core attraction of the Cang Mountain cultural and tourist zone.

Since its opening, Cang Mountain Temple has received tens of thousands of visitors every year. The temple fair falls on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. Crowds of visitors pour in from near and far, making it the liveliest season of the year.

The scenic area enjoys superior transportation. It takes only two hours to reach Taiyuan in the west and Shijiazhuang in the east. It is merely half a day’s journey to Wutai Mountain, the sacred Buddhist site in the north, and Xibaipo, the revolutionary cradle. Travellers can reach Beijing and Tianjin within one day. With convenient transport networks extending in all directions, Cang Mountain is truly an ideal tourist resort.